B:rl: p • ? RECOLLECTIONS OP MY LIFE BY MAXIMILIAN I. EMPEKOE OF MEXICO. NEW EDITION, WITH A PREFACE. IN THREE VOLUMES. VOL. I. LONDON: RICHARD BENTLEY, NEW BURLINGTON STREET. lisfyer in ©rbhtarjj to Her 1868. LONDON: FEINTED BY BPOTTISWOODB AND CO., NEW-8TEEET SQUAEE AND PARLIAMENT STBEET F 1133 v-f ADVERTISEMENT BY THE ENGLISH PUBLISHES. A TEAR has elapsed since the mournful tragedy of Queretaro closed the career of one of the most gifted, genial, and chivalrous of princes; of one who seemed destined, by his liberal and enlightened policy, to develop the wonderful resources of a great empire, and to advance the cause of civilisation over the world. This was not to be ; betrayed by his trusted officer into the hands of his ruthless enemies, nothing but his blood would satisfy them, and Mexico will probably again fall into the same anarchy from which she might have been rescued by Maximilian. The public will feel an additional interest from his sad fate in the following graphic account of the voyages and travels of this estimable prince. The work was not originally intended for publication, and only fifty copies were struck off at the ( Greheime Staatsdruckerei ' (privy state printing-office) in Vienna, for his family and most intimate friends. It was written iv ADVERTISEMENT. shortly after he had reached his majority ; for he was born at Schonbrunn on the 6th of July 1832.* The narra tive extends from the 30th of July 1857, and concludes on the 19th of January 1860, while exploring the wonders of the Mato Virgem, the primeval forests of Brazil. The idea of publishing this work only occurred to Maximilian a short time before he was called to ascend the throne of Mexico. To the care of Baron Miing-Bellinch- hausen, so well known in German literature under the pseudonyme of Frederic Halm, he confided the super- intendence of it through the press. The first German edition of the first four volumes was published by Messrs. Duncker and Humblot, at Leipzig, in August 1867; the fifth, sixth, and seventh, on October 24, 1867. Political considerations induced the German publishers to postpone it towards the close of that year ; but these impediments were removed in 1866. In Mexico the Emperor occupied himself in revising it, indicating cor- rections, additions, and, above all, suppressions, rendered necessary, in a great measure, by the altered state of political affairs which had unexpectedly arisen. These circumstances caused the postponement of the appearance of the book once more ; and matters might have remained in the same state even now, had not the news of the death of Maximilian induced the Emperor Francis Joseph, from * While staying at Madeira, he jots down the celebration of the anniver- sary of his birthday, on entering into his twenty-first year. ADVERTISEMENT. V fraternal affection, to give orders to resume and complete the printing of the work. The Grerman publishers are in possession of a contract for the publication, signed, in the name of the Emperor Maximilian by the Mexican Consul-General, Staatsrath Herzfeld, and the Intendant-Greneral and Prefect of the Court Library, Baron von Miinch-Bellinghausen. This gives Messrs. Duncker and Humblot the right of publica- tion ; and in virtue of this contract, and acknowledging its validity, the Saxon Grovernment gave the requisite ' Ver- lagschein,' permission to publish the book. Two editions of the Grerman publication have been exhausted in eight months, and a third is in preparation. The right of translating it into English was purchased by Captain Otto Corvin, and by him transferred to the English pub- lisher. The original Grerman edition did not contain any preface nor introduction, and, therefore, the English translation had none. At a later period, on the appearance of a French translation, the Grerman publishers furnished materials for a preface, from which a few particulars are here given. The French translator thus eulogises Maxi- milian : — ' The Prince possessed an enthusiastic and ardent soul, a warm and loving heart, a mind keenly alive to all that was noble and beautiful, a poetical imagination, dreamy, and essentially romantic. This last quality was especially notable in him ; it was that upon which the VI ADVERTISEMENT. Prince most piqued himself. The lively and sensitive imagination, the chivalrous and romantic turn of mind, observable in him in childhood, and which remained until death, were characteristics of him, and may in themselves give some explanation of his strange and tragic fate. Severe judgments have been passed on Maximilian by his enemies. He has been pronounced to be an ambitious dreamer — one who was glad to escape the dim cul ties of his position, and who eagerly seized the first opportunity to place a crown upon his brow. All his apprehensions and scruples, the profound repugnance which caused him to hesitate so long before accepting the crown, are lost sight of by these persons, who forget how many times he refused to be proclaimed Emperor, and that he only ultimately consented on the advice of the European powers. After he had been elected, and after long negotiation, he accepted, with the assent of the Emperor, his brother, the Imperial Crown of Mexico, which had been offered him on the 3rd of October 1863, at Miramar, by the commissioners de- spatched to him by the Assembly of Notables, who met at Mexico, bringing him the result of the vote of the Mexican population.' He sailed from Trieste in the Austrian frigate "Novara," and landed at Vera Cruz, May 24. The Emperor and Empress made their public entry into Mexico, June 12, 1864, amidst unanimous acclamations. During three years, Maximilian occupied himself in re-organising his ADVERTISEMENT. vii empire ; but the civil war, maintained against him by the insurgent chiefs, stopped all beneficial progress, and the withdrawal of the French army left him alone to con- tend with his enemies, and rapidly brought about their triumph. On the 5th February he left Mexico to place himself at the head of his army to encounter Juarez. He was defeated, and was eventually betrayed by his traitor officer, Lopez, for 3,000 ounces of gold ! His execution quickly followed. On the 19th of June he was shot. This event is one of the most melancholy of modern times. His mental struggles and distress may be best described in his own words, written on the eve of the fatal decision which was to conduct him to Mexico :- 'Must I separate myself for ever from my beloved country, the beautiful land of my early years ? You wish me, then, to quit my gilded cradle, and sever the sacred tie which binds me to my country — the land in which the sun- niest years of my childhood had been passed, where I had experienced the exquisite feelings of early love. Must I leave it for shadows and mere ambition ? You entice me with the allurements of a crown, and dazzle me with foolish chimeras. Ought I to lend an ear to the sweet song of syrens? Woe be to him who trusts to such flattering promises! You speak to me of a sceptre, of a palace, and of power ; you place before mine eyes a boundless future. Must I follow you to distant shores beyond the vast ocean ? You wish that the woof of my life should Vlll ADVERTISEMENT. be entwined with gold and diamonds. But are you able to give me peace of mind ? And do riches confer happi- ness in your eyes ? Oh ! rather let me follow my tranquil life unobserved along the myrtle-shaded way-side. Believe me, that the study of science and the cultivation of the Muses are more delightful to me than the glare of gold and diamonds ! ' E. B. August 1868. CONTENTS OF THE FIRST VOLUME. PAOB ITALY . 1 ANDALUSIA AND GRANADA 155 I. ITALY 1851. VOL. I. B , ITALY. Eoad of Trieste, July 30, 1851. WAS GOING to realise my much longed-for desire — a voyage at sea. Accompanied by several acquaintances, I put off the dearly-loved shore of Austria. This moment was one of great excitement to me, for it was the first time I confided myself to the sea for a long trip. We dashed rapidly through the waves, and already, at about a quarter past 7, amidst the strains of the national hymn, we went on board the frigate ' Novara,' our future floating palace, of which the name itself was a good omen to every Austrian. The gentlemen who had accompanied us took their leave, the stairs were hauled up, and the last con- nection with the shore cut off; I was not able to send more than a few lines to my parents, written in the utmost hurry in the cabin of the commander. It began to get dark, and they were weighing the last anchor ; this work was, however, of very long duration, and great exertions on the part of the crew were required, as a new-fangled French invention about the capstan impeded the move- ment and brought us frequently to a stop. Unfortunately, at this moment a man was hurt so severely in his chest, that he had to be carried to the hospital. The steam corvette ( Lucia ' had taken us in tow, and at last, at 9 o'clock we began to move. I arranged my cabin as well as possible : it was spacious, airy, and agreeable, and might be called pretty, had it not been, that, according to the B2 4 RECOLLECTIONS OF MY LIFE. wretched arsenal-taste, the colours of the furniture and curtains were in a too glaring contrast with each other. H. M. Frigate 'Novara,' July 31, 1851. This morning, from 8 to 12 o'clock, I had my first watch ; the sea was much agitated, the ship rocked considerably, and soon a heavy continuous rain poured down. The persons around me were suffering in the highest degree ; indeed, the trial was rather hard for the first day. After some time the wind became so contrary, that we had to unfasten the tow of the steamer, and commenced tacking towards the land. We had the coast of Istria in sight, but it was too much wrapped in clouds, and the weather was too bad to notice any interesting details. August 1, 1851. In the morning we had the Monte Osero, and some islands of the Quarnero in view ; the weather was tolerably fair, and the sea less agitated. Notwithstanding this, everybody was still sick. I had my watch from 8 until midnight, and was so sleepy as to fall down ; my boots were too tight, and my feet tired, so that it cost me some efforts to persevere till the hour of the ghosts. The horizon became cloudy, and flashes of lightning shed now and again the brightness of day over the ship. As no object impeded the view to the horizon, and the water reflected the light, the eye was sometimes even painfully dazzled. Such sights, on a grand wide stage, can only be seen by a traveller at sea. August 2, 1851. The coast of the Neapolitan kingdom, with the commence- ment of Abruzzo, came in sight, and we approached within eight leagues of the Italian shore. The little town of Viesti could be discerned with the naked eye. The country seems to be very mountainous, rather well timbered, and streaked by yellow stripes of earth. The town is not an THE NEAPOLITAN COAST. 5 important one, and is situated on one of those yellow hills. There are, along the entire coast, and at no very great distance from each other, old towers, which were built as a protection against the former invasions of the Turks. Before Viesti we met many Neapolitan fishing- smacks, with peculiar sails. The intense heat of the sun reminded us that we had entered the southern regions. I August 3, 1851. What Nature is able to do, what powers she can com- and and work with, how the waves dance, how air and clouds wrestle with each other, can only be seen on the Alps, with their awful lakes surrounded by rocks, or on the wide endless plain of the sea. There the over-awed soul feels the littleness and vanity of man, and yet his courage and pride swell at the thought, that it is his intellect which cleaves the mountain-waves, and under- stands how to direct the lightning of the heavens. Such a soul-stirring moment we enjoyed this night. There was a tremendous combat going on amongst the elements ; the flashes of lightning were more glaring than daylight, the thunder crashing in short detonations louder than the report of the most powerful gun, violent gusts of wind shrilly shrieking, and the rain pouring down. I got up at about 4 o'clock, put on my clothes in haste, and went for a moment on deck to enjoy the unusual spectacle. Mass, ordered for 10 o'clock, could not take place, for the chap- lain was not well, and the movement of the vessel was too violent. However there was a review and music between 10 and 11 o'clock, as usual. The Neapolitan coast came again in sight ; we approached the land within two leagues, so that we were able to distinguish very well the town and Cape of Otranto, both offering nothing extraordinary. Everywhere the towers before mentioned are to be seen \ the land is desolate and monotonous; we hope that the 6 RECOLLECTIONS OF MY LIFE. coast opposite, so much praised, will prove more attractive ; else the palm of beauty will remain to old and much- cherished Hellas, and the generally praised shore of Naples mil scarcely equal the splendid gulfs of Patras and Lepanto. Towards the decline of day, we passed the Capo di Leuca, and its church, which is a place of pilgrimage. By the light of evening this country appears a little more to advantage. The sun disappeared, pure and bright, in the sea, and its setting was a splendid spectacle. There was a southern glow and southern colouring in the twilight, that warmed my heart. August*, 1851. I rose at 3 o'clock, as my watch to-day was from 4 to 8 o'clock. It was my good luck, on my first ( mattutina,' to enjoy the most splendid sunrise. Day brought us to the coast of Calabria ; the south coast offers rocky, bare, picturesque hills, leaving it to the splendour of the sun to colour and transform them into enchantingly poetical pictures. The frigate was unfor- tunately too far from the land to distinguish details. We were sitting quite comfortably at luncheon, when, at about half-past 11 we were suddenly startled by a splash in the water. Apprehending an accident, we rushed on deck : and then was heard the dreadful cry of ' Un uomo e caduto in acqua ! ' All was in confusion. I rushed to the quarter-deck, and saw the pitiable sight of the poor sailor, who had fallen from the dizzy height of the ' Mars ' yard, struggling with the waves to reach the ship, from which he was, however, separating more and more. The boat was lowered with the utmost possible haste ; the e salva uomini ' had missed, but the lightning apparatus had gone off and smoked and steamed at the stern of the ship. These were moments of the most dreadful pain, moments of horror ; the question was asked, again and again, ' Will the poor man be able to hold out ; will he have the strength to combat with the MESSINA. 7 waves ? ' The boat pushed off at last ; it came nearer and nearer to the unfortunate man, who was seen at last to take hold of its gunwale, and, the Lord be praised, he was saved. He was carried to the hospital, but had not lost consciousness, and got off without being hurt to any extent. To-day the spectacle of old Etna was expected, like that of a Messiah, but all looking out and spying and guessing was in vain ; the venerable old fellow would not make his appearance, or rather was altogether out of sight. August 5, 1851. I had my watch from 4 to 8 o'clock; they were four most interesting hours, during which pictures of past history rushed by me. There old Etna rose from the morning vapours ; old Etna, the witness of so many past ages, the witness of so many disappointed desires of so many people, and of the degeneracy of powerful nations. There, in blood-coloured twilight, were glowing the mountains of Sicily, at the foot of which had been committed so many national crimes. On a sudden the sun sparkled on the hills of Calabria. Italy's hot sun, that poisoner of- Sicilian blood, strikes with a thousand arrows proud Messina, whose towers, palaces, and strongholds burst in splendour from out the green, luxuriant gardens. It is the same Messina which was founded by the cunning, unruly heads of Greece ; in which the poet makes the sister-bride weep over two beloved corpses; in which a thrust into a French heart was the signal for the Siqilian vespers. But Grod also pronounced his judgment against this city, and the palaces of Messina still afford evidence of the verdict, as since that terrible earthquake only one story remains to the most beautiful of them, and the roofs now replace the vanished rooms of state. The sun conquered night, and dispersed the dark vapours ; 8 KECOLLECTIONS OF MY LIFE. in bright splendour the Pharo stood before our delighted eyes ; now in the daylight the outlines of the land were to be distinguished, and at the foot of the Calabrian moun- tains, washed by the blue sea, appeared the lovely town of Eeggio, floating in the green of a southern vegetation. Palm-trees waved proudly, vines and lemons smiled in- vitingly, and the light air brought us the refreshing balm of southern plants. In the background, on both shores, the volcanic mountains were seen in their sharp picturesque lines. The tones of colour were as glowing as the southern heart and eye required, and were such as to warm the soul of northern men. We were sailing tranquilly through the azure waves, and our glasses were kept in constant activity, as, unfortunately, we were not allowed to set foot on this classical ground. Messina was seen more and more distinctly; the palaces, forts, and churches were distin- guished so plainly by the glass, that I could even read, on a long building on the shore, the inscription, ' Palazzo di Citta.' What we Grermans, in our humility, call house, is named a palace by the bombastic Italians. Amongst the buildings we were most struck by a steeple, with ascending spiral arcades, and windows. The city is large, and rendered beautiful by its luxuriant gardens. The country lay before us in a splendid panorama. All was harmony in the still, holy, morning rest ; even Etna was breathing gently, the vapours from its crater rising only like a mist. The shores now became narrower, and we came to a new theatre of historical events, the much-celebrated straits of Scylla and Chary bdis. The awe breathing through the songs of Homer ; the horrors revealed to us by Schiller's * Diver,' vanished before reality. A bare neck of land, with a rather considerable village, and a solid although not high lighthouse, were seen from afar; at the end of this prominence is Charybdis and its abyss peaceably closed STROMBOLI, ETC. 9 before us. At the other side, at the foot of the mountain, spring out of the sea the teeth of a black rock, with a castle on its top, which is connected with the land by a bridge; this is that most picturesque object, Scylla. Peaceably and without a pilot, we steered through the not very considerable water-strait, in which once Ulysses trembled, and which robbed the tender page of his life. On account of the roaring, hissing, or howling, un- fortunately, I could hear nothing. The sweet daughter of the king seems no longer to bend over the height, to look for the traces of the bold swimmer. We were now again on the high sea, filled with enthusiasm by the view, unfortunately too short, of the beautiful coast, which we had enjoyed. I took my little book out of the cupboard, and read : — Kennst du das Land, wo die Citronen bliih'n ? Splendid as is the view of Messina, that of the gulfs of Patras and Lepanto is still more so. On our left we now saw the islands of Vulcano, Lipari, and Panaria, and before us appeared Stromboli — all volcanic formations, as may be seen from their shape. These islands have no considerable circumference, but Stromboli reaches a height of two thousand feet, and has a great resemblance to a sugar-loaf flattened at the top ; it slopes abruptly to the sea, and only a few fishermen find shelter at this point. The vital fire of Vulcano has been extinguished for some years, but Stromboli is still smoking and spitting, in such a way as is pleasing to behold. August 6, 1851. In the forenoon we saw the coast of Policastro. I had my watch from 6 to 8 in the evening; the sunset had been beautiful, the fiery ball, floating in a golden glow, sank gorgeously in the sea ; the mountains of Salerno were delineated distinctly in grey masses, like the hills of Asia 10 RECOLLECTIOXS OF MY LIFE. Minor ; and, partly shrouded by heavy clouds, appeared the mountains of Policastro. Poetical as this spectacle was, it was sad for the sailors, for a calm laid its leaden wings upon our ship, which lay on the smooth sea, transformed into an island. Scarcely had the gold on the waves towards the west faded, when they were dipped in silver by the moon. August 7, 1851. How little we had advanced during the night may be judged by the circumstance that, at about 10 o'clock, when the air cleared, Stromboli once again made its appearance ; but this time we were at least rewarded by clouds of smoke rising from its crater. I therefore pardoned its proximity, and even tried to sketch it ; it seemed to be strongly in a state of ferment, for clouds of smoke in- creased, and formed a dense canopy over its head ; two peaks of smaller islands, beyond the Pharo of Messina, were visible. During the forenoon the wind freshened up a little, so that at half-past 3 I saw another of these un- ruly fellows — Vesuvius. August 8, 1851. Like the Greeks before Troy, we are lying before the entrance of Naples. Every day one expects to reach it, but there is never a favourable wind stirring. The sea is like a mirror this morning, and we find ourselves only off the height of Licosa. The shore is to be seen rather dis- tinctly, and a small place on an eminence — probably the town of Licosa — can be detected. The mountains are very high, and slope ruggedly to the sea, but they appear bare, and their form is not particularly remarkable. August 9, 1851. At half-past 7 I was awakened to see the splendid, picturesque forms of the islands of Capri. This castle of CAPFJ. 11 rocks rose proudly, and its angular romantic lines were sharply delineated against the southern sky. Before the principal shore rise tower-like cliffs, like the outworks of a fortress, of which one is pierced, and forms a natural water-gate. Eocky as the island is, it seems to be tole- rably well populated and very fertile, and is the birthplace of the far-famed Capri wine. From whatever side we had an opportunity of seeing it, favoured by the course of our ship, it always appealed picturesque, always noble in form. Here rose timbered slopes, there rugged rocks down to the sea ; now castle-like forms appeared on the crest of the hills, and everywhere charming variety. We had scarcely time to enjoy this prospect when the islands of Ischia and Procida made their appearance — all rocky islands, and yet romantically shrouded in green. Now we began to enter the gulf of world-famed Naples. The day was, unfortunately, not very clear, but the pano- rama was slowly unrolling before our eyes : hills were forming, masses of houses showing as we came nearer; single colours were detaching themselves from the general tone ; the forms of single houses came out ; questions were asked — explanations about the most prominent points given ; glasses were in requisition; in a word, there arose that inward restlessness and bustle which always take place on approaching a remarkable locality, never seen before. But in my heart I felt a great disappoint- ment. During my voyage in Greece I had been told that Naples was greatly to be preferred to what I then saw. One fellow-traveller had placed it so far above anything I had seen that I had made up my mind not to like it so very much. With such ideas, one is much inclined to judge by first appearances. I found the city too small, the hills behind it too low ; would have preferred to see it rather at the foot of Vesuvius, densely wrapped up in clouds, and would altogether have liked to make improve- 12 RECOLLECTIONS OF MY LIFE. ments here and there. The day, as I said before, was not clear ; the lines of the hills were not drawn in full distinct- ness, the colours not enlivened by southern brightness; sky and sea did not show that deep blue which is beautiful above anything, and never to be forgotten by any one who has once seen it. We came nearer, and already the Castles of St. Elmo and Uovo, the Villa Eeale, and other distinguished places could be made out, but still I did not yet find the city to my taste. I preferred that side towards Vesuvius, and farther on towards Castellamare and Sorrento, where were high hills and green luxuriant land, and where the country appeared to me picturesque. Now the frigate turned round the Castle Uovo, which projects into the sea; the royal palace, with its massive forms, its green terraces, and majestic site, made its appearance ; houses were stringed to houses, palaces springing out, and I felt that Naples was a great and a beautiful city. We cast anchor, and waited longingly for the ( pratica ' which was to give us permission to land. But it was long before we were satisfied. We had no certificate of health from Trieste, and the most learned authorities of Naples would not permit us to go on shore without it. Thus we had to wait from 1 to 5 o'clock. The weather cleared up, and soon the panorama commenced unfolding more and more. To the right, on the sea-shore, was rising proud Vesuvius, with its dark mysteries, and at its foot the little town of Portici. To the right of Vesuvius stretched a manifold-formed mountain range, till, opposite Capri, and in its numerous recesses, shone out, amidst orange-groves, Castellamare, with its royal palace, situated on a height, ' qui si sana ;' Sorrento, with its name consecrated by the poet; and the little town of Massa. To the left of the volcano, which was still covered by a small cloud, stretches a wide fertile plain towards the city, which reclines on NAPLES. is low hills enveloped in gardens. Yet, notwithstanding the length of this plain, the row of houses between Portici and Naples is scarcely interrupted. There is life in the masses of houses in Naples; one does not see those regular tiresome rows as in modern cities. As the principal points came out, we saw the royal palace, with its picturesque bright brick colour, and its fine orange-bowers, which rise in lofty arches like the gardens of Semiramis ; the Castle of St. Elmo, which crowns with a pyramid of houses an eminence in the centre of the city; the Castle of Uovo, which, to the left of the palace, rises as an outwork from the sea, and is only connected with the city by a bridge ; the Castle Nuovo, with the grey stronghold of the Anjous, once the residen- tiary palace of the princes of Naples; and the massive Italian palace Capo di Monte, rising between villas and gardens on the heights overlooking the city, and built by Charles III. as a summer residence for the Neapolitan kings. Between the crowd of houses peep out the cupolas of the churches, which are roofed with glazed tiles, and sparkle in the sun. At our anchoring place Castle Uovo concealed the long alleys of the Villa Eeale, and the street and row of houses behind it, called Chiaja, which is used by the Neapolitans as a Corso. Immediately behind this castle stands, on a terrace built on the sea, a small royal palace, called 6 Chiatamone,' in the gardens of which a fine cluster of trees refreshes the eye. To the left of the city the sea is also embraced by a wide crescent like that to the right, and from its terrace long rows of villas shine upon us. At the end of this is cut in the rock the far-famed ' Grotto of Posilippo,' from which can be seen the port of Puzzuoli, with its fort crowned by a castle, and the stronghold of Baise. Here follow the islands of Procida and Ischia, which close this remarkable panorama. 14 KECOLLECTIONS OF MY LIFE. Whilst we gazed at all this with curiosity, we got a little foretaste of the peculiar Neapolitan life. On several over- crowded boats and sailing-vessels, which were darting past us through the foaming sea, we saw lazzaroni and fishermen, with their brown lively faces, red overhanging caps, and that costume which approaches so nearly a state of nature. One of them changed his shirt quite coolly in view of the frigate, surrounded by his fellow-travellers. After some time a boat approached our ship; it was our minister, Field-Marshal Lieutenant Martini, who from his boat held a conversation with our commander, and then, on account of the 'pratica' not being yet received, returned to the shore to wait for us there. At last, at about 5 o'clock, we jumped into the boat which was to bring us to shore. While steering towards the quay of Santa Lucia, which is situated between the Castle Uovo and the royal palace, our frigate saluted with twenty-one guns ; this thundering greeting was answered by a land battery. The nearer we came the more we could make out the peculiarities of the city. The houses are built close to each other, and are very narrow and high ; some have only one window in front; the roofs are terrace-like, and almost every window is provided with a small iron balcony ; and what is there that is not hanging or standing on these balconies ? what things amusing and not amusing are there not waving down ? The balconies are an important point in southern life, as you may see at once from these in Naples. Here flutter sheets and fans ; there are blooming flowers and monks, all in Italian ( sans gene.' We jumped on shore after nine days at sea, and found ourselves suddenly, as by witchcraft, transplanted into another world — a world so confused that we required a long time to find our way in it. At the first step in Naples we were besieged by re- presentatives of popular life. There, were standing two Capuchins at the side of the street, with spectacles oa NAPLES. 15 their serious noses, that they might examine the new- arrivals with a more acute eye; there, moved about a black three-cornered Abbate hat through the noisy, screamincr crowd ; there, thronged on the army of the lazzaroni to surround the bashful traveller. There was a life, a whiz- zing, a roaring, which the German ear is not used to. Our brains began to spin, and how was this rush of impressions further increased when we, with the minister, got into a ' batard ' to drive through the celebrated Toledo, the artery of Naples ! At home this hubbub would have been taken for a riot, perhaps for a mas- querade in the carnival ; but here it was only the every- day state. I was so surprised, so astonished, that only a few figures out of this motley mass remained impressed on my memory. The people here are full of life, not dull, or shut indoors, as in so many other cities ; all they do is done before strange eyes, for they live in the street, and that is a principal charm and chief amusement to the newly arrived observer. All shops are free and open ; the eatables are piled up in the middle of the city ; amongst the finest southern fruit, pigs, sheep, dogs, and children play ; the latter, who are sometimes in a complete state of nature, walk boldly, like genuine Murillos, in their Adamitic costumes, between macaroni stalls, and cooking shops, snatching their food from wherever they can get it, even if they find it in the dirt. At almost every corner are seen gaudily painted wooden chests, with an arch or columns, ornamented with oranges and foliage, from which shines the image of a Madonna. Behind these columns move long kegs, horizontally or vertically, according to their use ; from these kegs fresh water is poured out, and the men who work this simple machinery are the cele- brated ( acquajuoli.' The popular vehicles belong also to the most remarkable things of Naples; they are two-wheeled cars drawn by 16 RECOLLECTIONS OP MY LIFE. one, two, and sometimes three horses ; the horses have at one of their ears a pointed tuft of feathers, and their odd harness is mounted with brass, and frequently provided with bells. Immediately behind the horse sits the driver ; between, the wheels a seat is raised for two or three per- sons ; yet the Neapolitans understand how to arrange it in such a manner that twelve to fourteen persons stand- ing, hanging, and sitting on such a narrow space, can be drawn by a little horse in trot. The celebrated Toledo is not at all pretty; the houses and the street itself are in the grandest disorder, and covered with a sort of artistic, poetical filth. Half up this street, which crosses the whole of the city, is a fine although not large place, called ' Largo del Mercatello,' of which one side is closed by a crescent-like building, belonging to the Jesuits ; the style shows its proprietors. The road rises towards the hill, and over a finely arched bridge we came upon the region of gardens. We had scarcely left the interior of the city, when we found the road shaded by trees, which are a chief ornament of Naples, and most refreshing to the eye. Through some serpentine wind- ings we came to an iron railing provided with a guard, and found ourselves before the splendid palace Capo di Monte. It is colossal, as are all the buildings in the Italian style of the last century. Columns and windows are cut out of mighty blocks of grey stone ; of the same material are the lofty and wide doors of the halls. The columns, also of grey stone, support in the in- terior the chief part of the building, and form yards and spacious lofty corridors, through which one can drive con- veniently in a carriage. The walls are bare bricks, the colour of which forms a good contrast to the grey. The palace is surrounded by a garden in the English style, in which tolerably large grassplots, by their dryness, have just now a rather disagreeable appearance. As a compen- NAPLES. 37 sation there are some small palm-trees, and profusely blooming oleander shrubs. I drove into one of the fine and airy arcades of the palace, and paid a visit to my aunt Clementine. She re- ceived me dressed in deep mourning for her husband, the Prince of Salerno, who died several months ago. I found her with her daughter Aumale. We spoke much of our Viennese relations and of the good old times ! The rooms in which I found my aunt are of an extraordinary size, with gate-like doors and windows, lobster-red brick floor, and scanty furniture ; a genuine Italian arrangement. I also paid Count Aquila a visit ; he is living in a house at the side of a palace, but I found neither him nor his brother Trapani, who is residing in the palace. We then had a walk in the park, which extends far behind the palace ; it is in the old Italian style, with wide straight avenues, which are not, as in the French gardens, stiff walls, but are arched in regular embowered walks. The garden is rich in trees, which, for the greatest part, are covered with bushy ivy. The pleasure grounds are partly irre- gularly wild and partly in artificial order, which gives them a peculiar charm, assimilating them to the character of the Italians, their creators. The eye follows with plea- sure these long avenues, which so frequently cross each other, under the dark green of which one finds protection against the fierce sun. This fine park, stocked with hares and pheasants, is only used for the sport of the King, and entrance is granted only to a few favoured persons. We returned to the city, by the celebrated ' Ponti Eossi.' The road running on the height of Capo di Monte leads towards the plain between Vesuvius and the city. One garden here joins another, all ornamented by pine-trees of a rare size, and number- less grape-vines ; and the views enjoyed from the driving alley are splendid. The sun was just descending, the VCL. i. c 18 RECOLLECTIONS OF MY LIFE weather had become clear, and Naples and its surround- ings showed what charm they may exert on the heart of the stranger ; over mine also the victory had been won. In the background Vesuvius rose mightily, at its foot spread the fertile plain far towards the mountains of Caserta ; to our right on the slope was the city, the wide extent of which was only to be seen now. Before and behind us was an exuberant southern vegetation ; far off the mountain chains of Sorrento and Massa appeared in half-dark blueness, and before them was the wide gulf. The road on which we were driving is called ' Strada dei Ponti Eossi,' after two old Eoman aqueducts, built of red bricks, and under which the road passed. But it is not by these antiquities that this road became celebrated, but by the splendid and matchless views from it. I was converted, and count myself now amongst the admirers of the sense-ensnaring Parthenope. Beautiful as Hellas is, splendid as the Gulf of Lepanto, yet these countries lack the full charm of green vegetation. Descending from the height, one again enters the city by the ( Strada Foria.' The first immense building that strikes the eye is the large poor-house with a mas- sive gorgeous facade, built by the order of Charles III., and called s Eeale Albergo dei Poveri.' Everything great that has been created in Naples and its environs originates from this King, who commenced his work when sovereign of Naples, and finished it for his son. Scarcely arrived in the city, new pictures of life presented themselves. We met elegant ( fourgons ' driving along the street, in trot towards the country ; but their freight was the dead, which, according to the Neapolitan custom, are forsaken by their relations after their decease, and are thus carried to the ' Campo Santo.' One of these vehicles was surrounded by little boys, dressed as cherubims, with burning torches in their hands, sitting on seats NEAPOLITAN BROTHERHOODS. 19 arranged outside. We met also one of the celebrated Neapolitan brotherhoods ; it was a long procession of snow-white forms, following, two by two, a crucifix and a priest. The whole body of these ghostlike brothers was wrapped up, and only their eyes glittered through white rags, hanging down over the face from their pointed hoods. Each class institute among themselves a similar brotherhood, to nurse their sick, and do the last honour to the deceased at the common expense. Curious also was it to observe in this street the sight of small bridges on dry land ; they are built for the emergency of rain, which falls here frequently with such violence that it transforms the whole street into a torrent. The Neapo- litan does not remedy such an evil at the root, he prefers the odd way of building, in case of need, these remarkable means of communication. We now turned into the Toledo, at the corner of the ' Eeale Museo Borbonico.' This latter is a truly majestic building, also built in the old Italian style of grey stone and bare brick walls, and is used for the preservation of the antique and modern treasures of art belonging to the kingdom. Evening had come, and with it the liveliness in the street doubled. If, before, the lower classes were to be seen, now there were crowds of rich, who, after the indispensable siesta, throng the streets, to breathe the fresher air. At that part of the Toledo which is outside the c Largo del Mercatello,' the carriages jostled together. In Vienna, which is so full of life, this entanglement of carriages would have been taken for a stoppage produced by some accident ; but here it is only an everyday amusement, and notwithstanding the murderous noise to be heard from all sides, and that the carriages drive into each other like wedges, no lasting confusion occurs, and no accident happens. After the most ear-piercing concert, the single equipage is detached, to rush into some other crowd. This c 2 20 RECOLLECTIONS OF MY LIFE. bustle reminds one of the Fresco in Venice, where, in the Canal Grande, are crowds of vessels, only that there the moving powers are oarsmen instead of horses. The noise is considerably increased by the vendors and beggars, as the first praise their goods in the most comical and most shrieking manner, and accompany their resounding speeches with the most curious mimicry ; but the beggar tribes of the whole kingdom hold their congress at Naples ; especially at the street ' dei Ponti Rossi,' we were per- fectly surrounded by cripples, who unveiled their wounds and ailings in every possible manner to the eyes of the passers-by, and galloped alongside the carriage with the most wonderful velocity, to extort money by all kinds of vocal and gesticular modulations. From the Via Toledo, we proceeded to the house of our minister, which is situ- ated at the Chiaja behind the Villa Reale. We there got rid of our uniforms, and enjoyed for a time from the balcony the view on the enlivened corso, a long and wide street between, the avenues of the Villa Reale, situated imme- diately on the sea and separated from it by a railing and a row of newly built houses of tolerably symmetrical ap- pearance. There also carriage after carriage was driving past ; gentlemen and ladies on horseback moved to and fro ; and all was merriment and amusement. This seems to be the Neapolitan Prater. We then drove along the Chiaja in the direction of the sea-road of Puzzuoli. Both equipages and toilets were fine and expensive, but there was never in the tout ensemble a truly elegant harmony; you see beautifully built car- riages, with dirty drivers without gloves, and old women with elegant pink bonnets. It is striking, that gene- rally amongst the fair sex one scarcely ever sees noble or fine faces, the features having a somewhat Moorish character. Driving along, observing and gazing, before we came to THE VIA PUZZUOLI. 21 « the bouse of the minister, we met a high phaeton and a reddish-haired stout fellow, driving his horses in the English fashion, who very politely flourished his hat when seeing our minister. I asked who it was, and was highly delighted on hearing that my eyes had seen one of the great and mighty, one of the rulers of the universe, one of the chief weights of our century, one of the golden planets of the European constellation, it was the youth- fully vigorous — Kothschild. The Via Puzzuoli on which we were driving now offered the most charming views. There is, on one side along the street, the tufa stone mountain, with its villas and gardens. The poor lazza- roni have worked into it cave-like dwellings, and there are also high arches hewn in this soft stone, which may serve as entrances to shops. On the other side of the street, the ground falls steeply off to the foaming sea, but nevertheless it is covered at many places with country seats. As the Via Puzzuoli turns round the roadstead, the city is to be seen in its full extent, with its picturesque forts and its green heights, the luxuriant splendid plain, the mighty Vesuvius, and the amphitheatrical mountain of Sorrento. The two most remarkable objects on the Via itself are the hoary ruins of a large palace, built projectingly into the sea, commenced by the Viceroys of Spain but never finished, which building is wrongly called the palace of the Queen Isan of Naples. A mighty palm-tree, with a splendid luxuriant crown, in one of the gardens rises abruptly at the road side. I have seen the palm-trees of Athens and those of Nauplia ; they are much higher, but I saw none so beautiful, so luxuriant, and spreading its crown so proudly as this, and no artist comes to Naples without sketching it ; its very numerous leaves are of considerable length, they bend in gentle arches towards the ground. The palm is a plant of the fancy; an enchanted fairy 22 RECOLLECTIONS OF MY LIFE. child, snatched from the dream of a god ; its shaft rises straight and wonderful, whilst the pleasing and soft undu- lations of its leaves are an alluring dance of the Graces. The sun had vanished long ago, thousands of lights ap- peared on all sides, and though the life of the day was finished, there awoke a new and perhaps still more ani- mated and interesting night-life in Naples. The glimmer of the lights on the quays was reflected in the sea, and drew golden furrows in the slightly rippling waves. But it was the full clear moon, that enhanced the light to an ideal, when she shed her silver beams dreamingly over land and sea. Now my heart rejoiced ; I humbly struck my colours, and bent my defyingly elevated head before the old bard who sings the ever-young song— Kennst du das Land, wo die Citronen bliih'n ? I then shared the fate of all the German tribes wandering: o to the south, who are struck with admiration, and are captivated involuntarily by the mighty spell of Italy. Having returned from our drive, we stopped at the en- trance of the Villa Keale, and strolled through it in the soft moonshine under the splendid walks of olives and evergreen oaks, and other shady trees. But these are not the only attractions offered by this place. Marble copies of cele- brated antique masterpieces peep from among the green, dark arbours ; water basins with delicate fountains, statues, and luxuriant water plants which whisper mysteriously. The most celebrated of these basins is ornamented by the Eape of Europa, beautifully carved in marble; unfortu- nately it was too dark to admire perfectly its particular beauties. A second extensive basin was made of a large o piece of red granite, which had been excavated at PaBstum ; it is called the basin of Salerno, because it was set up in that town immediately after its excavation. There is also between the groups of trees a temple with the bust of THE VILLA REALE. 23 Tasso ; and a friend told me that a guard was placed here to compel the visitors to take off their hats before the poet. I stepped close to the bust, and the soldier did accost me, but only to warn me not to approach too near the great man. If poor Torquato, who was mortified so frequently in life, could know with what etiquette he is surrounded after his death, his stony, serious face would smile derisively. Or is the guard intended to remind one of the former captivity of the poor poet ? We stepped out of the avenues on a half-round terrace projecting into the sea, and saw dark figures lying on the balustrades. We believed them to be Egyptian statues of a mysterious form, but discovered, on approaching nearer, good-natured Neapolitans, enjoying on these stones the cooling breeze in ' dolce far niente.' The view from this projection was again splendid, charming, and new. From it were to be seen the Via Puzzuoli with its inhabited caves, which we had recently left. The name of the Villa Eeale leads one to imagine that it belongs to a summer residence, or a cottage of the King ; but it designates only a railed park with walks, small flower-gardens, single palm-trees, and little guard- houses at its different entrances, as entrance is prohibited to the lazzaroni, and only decently dressed promenaders are seen here. We stopped for a moment at the iron gate fronting the city, to refresh ourselves at one of the c acqua- juoli ' with water out of a wooden keg ; then we went along the quay of Santa Lucia, the true region of the lazzaroni. The streets are filled with boxes, in which the most curious eatable productions of the sea are piled up and protected against the sun by a somewhat inclined um- brella. Everywhere are to be seen cooking shops, heaps of fruit, and small tables on which some ring-shaped pastry is for sale. A number of small oil lamps light up these 24 KECOLLECTIONS OF MY LIFE. arrangements, which are surrounded by a mass of braying people. Women and children rush upon the promenaders, with the most varied offers and requests. Beggars from all sides surround and plague the passers-by. Besides all this confusion, one must take care not to step on one of the lazzaroni, who are lying about on the ground, sleeping. Stepping down a staircase to the lower quay immediately upon the sea, one sees a new feature of Neapolitan life ; hundreds of chairs stand there on the wet slippery ground ; elegant and dirty people, secular and ecclesiastical, are sitting comfortably about; and what do you think they are doing ? Are they taking coffee, or more probably ice cream ? No ! they drink nothing else but an abstergent sulphuric water, carried round in large tumblers by lazza- roni women, and eat with it the above-mentioned ring- shaped pastry ; and these are, as Field-Marshal Lieutenant Martini said to me, ( Le delizie di Napoli.' There is nothing to reply but,